My First Snow Village Piece - 1982

This is one of my favorite Department 56 Snow Village pieces. I believe on the bottom it says "1982". This is just one of the pieces that I want to highlight here at Ladybug Creek.

So much fun! I know now why men children love to play with toy trains and setting up displays.

This was a gift from a brother and his wife one Christmas.

Hope you'll check back to see more Snow Village.

Most of the accessories I have for my snow village

were bought at the end of the season when no-one for sure is setting up their village. I even use toy train set accessories

in some of my displays.

I'm sharing this with

Laurie's Bargain Hunting and Chatting

http://bargainhuntingwithlaurie.blogspot.com/

Snow Village - YIKES!

Yikes!!

I love my Snow Village. It doesn't make it up every Christmas but this year is special. We have children in our lives that we have not had in quite some time, so I just

felt like I wanted to set it up. But, oh my goodness....

Last year I came upon a special deal with Department 56

and so scooped up as much as possible. Somehow I have to make a Christmasy, snowy village with all of this and twenty-two buildings... each one with a special memory of its purchase. My husband has even gotten into this. Mind you not setting it up... oh no... but he does enjoy shopping

for new buildings. After our shopping would be done for the children and the rest of our families, David and I would take off to shop for ourselves. It always included a new addition to our Snow Village.

Hopefully  I will have an update for you soon

as to how this mess becomes an enchanting little town.

You'll find me at Coastal Charm today...

enjoying all of the wonderful postings!!

http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/

Here is the first one!

I want to live in this house.

The cottswald design was something I was not

familiar with, even though we lived in one for seven

years. My excuse is that we were young and

just had no clue.

My name for this piece is

"406 N. Garcia Street"

as that was the address of our home.

It was not brick, but stucco. It had a green roof and

a huge, huge front window/door... sort of garden style.

The house was 60 years old when we moved into it.

A doctor had built it and it was two-story so that

he could have his clinic downstairs and live upstair.

Several rounds of renovations had been done on it,

but it was such an interesting home. There were

even secret passage ways. Our closet upstairs had a

red light in it and I assume that was for developing

pictures. I bought this Snow Village because it

reminded me of what I had hoped to accomplish

with that home. 

I love my RED Pashmina scarf!

I love using my Pashmina scarves on my tables.

This is one I bought recently and it is actually the

flip-side of the scarf. The reds in it fit the season!

Tonight I am linking to

"It's a Very Cherry World"

for

Rednesday

http://suelovescherries.blogspot.com/

 

It's Not Over Yet!

My decorating is far from complete but just to let you know that I am a busy bee full of glee (I know... that's SICK!)!!
I truly love this part of Christmas... all the excitement and glitter.. the sparkle and parties...
Truly it is the customs that I love the most. I plan to share some with you soon. The baby Jesus one is my favorite!
Back to "work". Who knows what will be spruced up next.

It's Mosaic Monday so take a minute to visit Little Red House. If you haven't been there before... you'll love it!

http://dearlittleredhouse.blogspot.com/

How funny... I just noticed that you can see my husband's reflection in the mirror. LOL Busted, David! (He's getting a second helping of popcorn.)

Hola, Yoli of Apron Senorita!

Meet Yoli of Apron Senorita

What fun! Las night at Dias Festivos in McAllen, Texas

I met Yoli. What fun we had getting to

know a blogging sister.

She makes fabulous aprons and Christmas stockings.

Most of her creations have that Mexican flair to them.

I love it!

http://apronsenorita.blogspot.com/

I also got to meet her darling sister, Jessica.

There is definitely talent in that  family!

http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

Hop over to My Romantic Home and enjoy

all of the entries for Show & Tell Friday

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cake

Sometimes we discard recipes.. or cookbooks. They're not so fashionable anymore, we are tired of them, maybe they are not considered healthy by today's standards.
I almost threw out an old cookbook that someone had given me years ago. It was a church cookbook. You know the type... a fundraiser cookbook.
Mind you, I am a collector of cookbooks and to say I may have 300+... well,
I simply cannot bring myself to confess how many I truly have. This sort of
cookbook is my favorite. It's more down to earth, home style cooking, not so gourmet if you know what I mean.


I decided at the last minute that this cookbook deserved a second chance so I took it to our deer lease. It is usually the only place where I make dessert. There is always such a willing and eager audience of hungry hunters out there. Frankly, they'll eat anything!


So I was looking for something to make out there and quickly found this recipe called "Oatmeal Cake". Sounded interesting and I had all of the ingredients... except for margarine which I do not use. Buttah is bettah! Right? So, okay... I have it all ready to go in the oven when I realized there was no temperature nor baking time for this recipe. Remember it is a hands-on church cookbook. Proofing was not on the priority list I guess. But, oh well... I put it in a 325 degree oven for about 25 minutes and it came out great. I think it is one of the most delicious cakes I've ever eaten. And with oatmeal in it... well, it's almost a health food, right??


It was a total hit! Give it a try when you need a bit of "health food".

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cake
1 1/4 c. boiling water
1 c. quick-cooking oatmeal
1 stick of butter

Place oatmeal in a medium size mixing bowl and add butter. Pour boiling water over this and allow to stand about 20 minutes. (I only gave it about 10 and it was fine.)

In larger bowl mix together:
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Add to the oatmeal mixture when somewhat cooled...
2 eggs, beaten
2 tsp. vanilla

Combine flour mixture with the oatmeal mixture and stir.

Pour into a "Pam'd" oblong baking dish
Bake at 325 degrees for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.

In a saucepan on low heat:
1 stick of butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. coconut
1 c. chopped pecans

Pour over cake when straight from the oven and hot.

Serve on a cold winter's night, by the fire with hot spice tea! Guaranteed to warm your cockles.
(Does anyone know what "cockles" are?)